Law & Order (1990) s20e12 Episode Script

(male announcer) in the criminal justice system, The people are represented by two separate Yet equally important groups-- The police who investigate crime And the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.
The are their stories.
- You would be a totally anonymous source.
- I know, I-- I just don't really see the point in talking about it.
- I wouldn't have to use your name.
- Yeah, but how hard would it be to figure out? Look, I have a new job.
I'm not widely considered a slut.
Things are just fine the way they are.
- It's not right.
You know it.
And it keeps happening over and over again.
- Let me think about it.
I'll let you know.
- [scoffs.]
- Developer ran out of money.
One day he's selling the greatest new project Since rockefeller center, And the next he's selling the fixtures.
- When did construction end? - Maybe six months ago.
Security's half-assed.
- Junkies, homeless, who called it in? - [chuckles.]
Caller forgot to leave his name.
- Yeah, he was probably scavenging.
Pulled back this sheet of metal.
- And voila.
- Bruises on her neck.
No blood.
Anybody find a purse? - No.
No cell phone, no I.
D.
Hey, you think maybe a working girl? She brought a john up here? - Her clothes are clean, no track marks on her arms, No chips in her manicure.
- She could have been here forever Before somebody found her.
- I think that was the plan.
- Well, she's fresh.
Died sometime last night.
Cause of death is definitely strangulation.
The bruises look hand-shaped.
I'll put her in the fridge And see if I can get more definition.
- Any signs of sexual assault? - There's no vaginal tearing and there's no semen in her, So she hadn't had sex within 72 hours Or she used a condom.
ButI did find this.
A pubic hair from her upper inner thigh, And it isn't hers.
- Wrong color.
- No, wrong gender.
Find the penis it belongs to and you'll have a lead.
- We'll get right on that.
- Lieutenant, we got a hit.
- What would you think m.
R.
S.
Stands for On a hospital bill? - What? - M.
R.
S.
On a hospital bill.
- Mrs.
? - It costs $89 and it's not covered by insurance.
- Well, then that's definitely not mrs.
- Mucous recovery system.
A box of tissues.
- [laughs.]
- All right.
One second.
These These I fight, These I got 30 days.
Okay.
All right.
You have something.
- Yes.
Our jane doe's name is megan kerik.
Her fingerprints matched a set In the pentagon's database.
- She was a soldier.
- No, a freelance journalist Who accompanied a uso troupe to afghanistan.
The pentagon, they take their prints and dna In case they're blown up by an I.
E.
D.
- That's thoughtful.
- They also list next of kin.
I just got off the phone with ms.
Kerik's sister In san diego.
They weren't very close, but she said Megan wasn't married, She'd never heard of any boyfriend, And our victim spent most of her time Writing for a website called citysmear.
Com.
- Is that what it sounds like? - Digs up dirt on celebrities and others.
And the more embarrassing, the more they like it.
- You'd better find out who ms.
Kerik Had been embarrassing lately.
- Megan kerik.
She's been murdered.
- We were hoping you could help us out.
- Has this been reported anywhere yet? - You're looking for a scoop? - It depends what she was working on.
Derek.
- Yeah.
- What was megan kerik working on? - I don't know.
Just that thing about The big environmental movie star Who sent her cocker spaniel to paris, why? - These are police.
Megan's been killed.
- Has it been reported anywhere yet? - It doesn't matter.
Megan wasn't working on anything for us That could get her killed, if that's what you're asking.
- You figure the cocker spaniel's in the clear, then? - That's-- [chuckles.]
- How well did you know ms.
Kerik? - She was a freelance contributor.
We have hundreds.
- She have a desk? We'd like to take a look.
- No, as far as I know, she worked from home.
- Shopping list.
Yogurt, coffee, ink cartridges, cupcakes.
- Yeah, a freelancer's diet.
This place is neat and tidy.
If she was killed here, She didn't put up much of a fight.
- The ink cartridges would be for the printer here.
You see a computer? - Nope.
- Somebody took it.
This file drawer's unlocked.
There's a big gap inside.
- The killer took her purse.
He had her keys.
- She was working on something or he thought she was.
- What? - Look, it's sara.
I'm sorry, but I really don't want to talk about this.
I think you should just forget the story.
It's just going to upset a lot of people for no reason.
- What did megan want from you, exactly? - I only met her that one time.
She emailed me out of the blue And said she wanted to interview me for a story.
- A story about what? - People who sleep with their bosses.
Which I did.
- And didn't want to talk about.
- I have a boyfriend.
I have parents.
I have a new boss, I I really didn't need for them to know.
- Yeah, but megan was going to do the story anyway.
- I don't know.
I never talked to her again.
- If you'd never met her before, How did she know about your history? - She said that she talked to a woman Who used to work where I used to work And had the same Position before I did.
- That would be your position with the boss.
- No one lasted more than a few months.
- Sara, we're going to need to talk to this guy.
- Uh, that's just the thing.
It's not a he.
- What? Well, maybe that's what you'd advise A teenage daughter, bella.
Uh, remind me never to send my kid to talk to you.
But seriously, I think we can all agree That communication with our children - Vanessa carville.
- Megan kerik wasn't writing an article About women sleeping with their bosses.
She was writing about women who were sleeping with Vanessa carville.
- And that may have included megan.
It turns out that before she reduced herself To digging up gossip for citysmear, She was a production associate on the sisters.
- I love this show.
It's a great way of turning off your brain for an hour.
- Well, would you love it as much if you knew Vanessa carville was plowing through Her female employees? - Uh.
She's married.
She has a family.
- Yeah, if she caught wind what megan was writing about - Go see her.
You know, if it were for anything else, I'd ask you to get me tickets to the show.
And one more thing: You know, I don't know what kind of downtown look You guys are going for with the stubble and all, But it's not working.
- [chuckles.]
for downtown or for you? - Both.
Have you looked in the mirror lately, detective? You're not in karachi anymore.
All right? - Mm-hmm.
Okay.
- Of the trust that people have in you.
And you know in the end it always comes down to trust.
Am I right, ladies? Who's with me? Can I get a what-what? - You ever watch her show? - Sure, when I'm not knitting booties for my cat.
There she is.
- You think one of those guys is her husband? - Well, this could be awkward.
- Well, that's why we get paid the big bucks.
Ms.
Carville.
- Yes.
- Mr.
Mccoy.
- Detectives.
You must be mind readers.
I was just going to call one p.
P.
You may know vanessa carville, by reputation, anyway.
She just came to me with her attorney To report a crime.
She's being blackmailed.
- I leave for the studio early.
I like to read the papers before anyone else gets there.
So it was about 6:00 a.
M.
I came out of my house and nearly tripped over it.
- "personal and confidential.
" - I'd say that was an understatement.
- Did you see who left it? - No.
My driver pulled up just then.
I had brought it into the back seat with me And took a look.
What I saw? Let's just say I didn't need a second cup of coffee.
- Emails, diary entries, photos, Messages, you with various women.
Are they authentic? - Does that matter? - It probably does.
- They're real.
But I'd rather deal with it, all of it, Than pay $3 million to some blackmailer.
- The cover letter asks for $3 million Or this will all be published in a book.
Ms.
Carville is supposed to stand by at home For a phone call today at noon To arrange payment.
- A lot of this concerns a woman named megan kerik.
- I'm aware.
Things with megan ended ratherAwkwardly.
It's occurred to me this might be Some sort of attempt at revenge.
- Megan kerik was murdered two nights ago.
- Oh, god.
- And before she died, she was interviewing women For a proposed article about this.
- So I'm a suspect.
- Vanessa-- - I have to be.
- Did you know she was working on that article? - No.
I hadn't talked to megan in over a year.
This is awful, just Worse and worse.
So what do we do now? - It can't be a coincidence that the blackmail Comes at the same time as the murder.
We play along with the blackmailer, If you're up to it.
Are you? - Well, I've gotta get to the studio, But I'll be home before noon.
- Well, I'd like to get my people in before that.
- I'll arrange for it.
Jack.
Thank you.
- What do you think? - Well, if she killed megan kerik to keep her quiet, Coming forward with a bogus blackmail story Would be a pretty smart way to throw us off.
- I find that hard to believe.
But just in case - This blackmailer, whoever he is, Is probably the murderer, right? - It's possible.
- Half the stuff in that envelope came from megan.
The rest could have been stuff she gathered.
So he got it from her, Maybe she tried to back out - That's a theory.
- And the other theory is that I did it? - That's a theory.
- No more sandwiches for you.
It's nearly 1:00.
He said he was gonna call by noon.
- Has that bastard called yet? - Not yet.
- Why not? I mean, what's he waiting for? - You don't need to be here, wayne.
They'reHandling it.
- I don't know.
My wife's affairs with other women, $3 million.
It's a little more interesting than anything Happening in the office today.
- I'm heading for the studio.
You can stay if you want to.
All of you.
- Just us guys.
- He never called.
- Did he know you were there? Maybe he was watching the house.
- We were careful.
There was a service entrance.
- So he's leaving $3 million on the table.
- Maybe he's reformed.
- Or maybe vanessa carville made the whole thing up.
- She didn't make this up.
"I see you behind the monitor and all I can think about Is licking the sweat rolling towards your nipple.
" A message from carville to megan kerik.
Have you seen the stuff in this blackmail package? - I'd have paid the $3 million.
- Here's one from megan's diary.
"I was nervous at first, "but we split one of her vicodins "and a bottle of wine.
And then bliss.
" Hey, lupes.
Look at this.
What do you see? - That picture.
- Mm-hmm.
- It's in sara bradley's apartment.
- Yeah, the girl who said she didn't cooperate With megan kerik's research.
- So how did that picture End up in the blackmail surprise? - Yeah, I took that.
But I never gave it to megan.
I never gave megan anything, I told you.
- Well, then how did she get it? - I don't know.
What does it matter? - Did you give it to anybody else? - No, like who? - The person who got it might be the person Who murdered megan.
If you have any involvement with him, You should tell us now.
- [scoffs.]
What, like I'm an accomplice? That is ridiculous.
I never gave megan anything.
I never gave anyone anything, And I definitely-- My hard drive.
- Your hard drive? - I kept some old photos on a backup hard drive.
A couple of weeks ago, my apartment was broken into And that was one of the things that was stolen.
- Okay, did you file a police report? - Yeah.
[cell phone ringing.]
Is that why somebody broke into my apartment? Just to get that picture? - Lupo.
All right, we'll set it up.
Carville got the call.
It's a go.
Excuse us.
- I got her.
- Got ya.
Ms.
Carville, can you hear us? - Yeah.
Loud and clear.
I haven't been this nervous since I interviewed dick cheney.
- [chuckles.]
You're doing great.
Take a seat on the bench right there.
He's late.
Again.
- Visual on a male in a black overcoat.
- I got him.
- Oh, god.
- Okay.
Stop talking to us now.
- It's dipalma.
Megan's editor.
- Yeah, the one who said he had no idea What she was working on.
- Well, I guess he lied.
- Did you bring the check? - Who are you? - Did you bring it or not? - Why are you doing this? - What the hell is she doing? - I'm not the one paying to keep dirty secrets.
- Conducting an interview.
- When do I get the originals of the things in that envelope? - As soon as I know your check is good.
- Oh, I'm supposed to trust you? - Vanessa! - [chuckles.]
You don't have a choice.
Now you've got about ten seconds.
- Just give him the damn check.
- [scoffs.]
- You should be ashamed of yourself.
- He's got it.
- Hey, remember me? Turn around.
Let's go.
- My client has nothing to say.
- Your client just got caught red-handed Committing larceny by extortion.
He needs to help himself out here.
- It was a simple misunderstanding.
- Yeah.
For megan kerik, it was.
She brought you her big story, didn't she? She wanted you to publish it, but you had a better idea.
A way of making some real money.
Then what happened? She disagree? - I had nothing to do with what happened to megan.
- Dennis.
Don't say anything.
No more questions.
Should I try that in french? - Just one more.
Does you client want to give us a key To his apartment, or would he prefer We take the door off its hinges? The search warrant is on its way.
- What did the police find? - Enough to nail dipalma on the blackmail Ten times over.
Megan kerik's notebooks and diaries, The originals of all the blackmail material, The stolen computer hard drive.
- How about for the murder of megan kerik? - The pubic hair found in dipalma's sheets Matches the hair found on her body.
- So they were lovers.
And? - Well, it seems pretty obvious what happened.
Megan felt burned by her relationship with carville.
She was expecting a promotion, at least.
Instead, got dumped for the next flavor of the month And then laid off.
It's all in her diaries.
She wanted to get even.
- And dipalma hijacked her article And turned it into blackmail.
Can you prove that? - That wasn't in her diary.
- So what have you got on the murder? - Enough to nail dipalma on the blackmail Ten times over.
- It's better than nothing.
And it could be a lever to shake something loose.
Move on it.
- Case 34321, people v.
Dennis dipalma.
Attempted grand larceny in the first degree.
- The defendant enters a plea of not guilty.
- People request remand, your honor.
In addition to the crime he's charged with here today, Mr.
Dipalma is the key suspect in a related homicide.
- Says who? Based on what? That's completely irrelevant to the issue of bail On this charge.
- This is the attempted extortion Of that television personality? For $3 million, is that correct? - That's the charge, but mr.
Dipalma is innocent.
- You mentioned that.
Meanwhile for bail, why don't we pick a number That is relevant to this case.
$3 million.
[bangs gavel.]
[reporters shouting questions.]
- In this case so far, We've only heard one side of the story, Ms.
Carville's side, Which the police and district attorney Have swallowed whole.
But this case isn't just about the motive, Intent, and conduct of dennis dipalma, It's also about the motive, intent, and conduct Of vanessa carville.
Mr.
Dipalma looks forward to telling The full story in court, And if in defending his reputation Other people's are damaged, well, It's just the way it's gotta be.
I for one have a few questions for ms.
Carville.
Actually, more than a few.
- Now the real blackmail begins.
- It's only fair, your honor.
Mr.
Dipalma has the right to get his side of the story out.
- This is rather a long list of material you're seeking.
- All of which is likely to lead to credible And relevant evidence for the defense.
- Ms.
Carville's tax returns for the past ten years.
- To see if she's taken any business deductions For the purchase of embarrassing material.
- What, you think she itemized previous blackmail attempts? - I want to know if she's bought any material Similar to that offered her by mr.
Dipalma.
- He wasn't selling her a book.
He was committing larceny by extortion.
- Actually, he was conducting a journalistic sting.
Mr.
Dipalma was going to publish an expose Of ms.
Carville's behavior on his website.
- Well, then why didn't he? Why demand a $3 million check not to publish it? - He was never gonna cash that check.
He was gonna post of a photo of it on his website As proof that she had something to hide.
- We are straying into absolute fantasy here.
- Really? What kind of blackmailer asks for payment by check? - A dumb one.
This isn't an intelligence test.
This is a criminal proceeding.
And these defense subpoenas are onerous, Unreasonable, and designed merely To harass the victim of the crime.
I mean, full personnel files of more than 200 Of ms.
Carville's employees going back to 1992? - Have any complained of sexual harassment? Have any been granted special treatment In exchange for sexual favors? - Your requests are extraordinary, mr.
Baron.
But I will see the briefs on this.
- The judge is going to allow it? - No, she just hasn't decided yet.
I can't imagine she'll give him everything he's asking for.
- But some of what he's asking for.
- We're using all of our resources.
The law is on our side.
- I just had a candid talk with my audience About this whole situation.
I hoped I would never have to say anything else.
- Well, you will have to be a witness at the trial.
- I guess I knew that.
I just didn't Things are a little tense right now On the home front.
My husband or his attorney may end up Sitting at that trial taking notes If we end up fighting over child custody.
The things that could come out.
- I promise you, we'll fight to keep the trial As narrowly focused as we can.
- The other guy's the criminal.
Why are we doing all the fighting? Oh, boy.
- Child custody? She's probably wishing she paid the $3 million.
- Baron's playing a game.
Nothing he's asking for is relevant.
- That judge might disagree.
- Well, we'll handle it.
Meanwhile, let's shoot down the claim That dipalma was practicing journalism, Not blackmail.
That check that he was supposedly never gonna cash.
- Yeah, made out at his request To something called feature literistics.
- Yeah, what the hell is that? - I'm a little busy.
The owner made me acting editor Until this business with dennis gets sorted out.
- Well, by the looks of things, you might be acting For the next eight to ten.
- Oh, no, thank you.
Getting a little tired of sorting through Celebrity trash.
But I might be going back to school, though.
Maybe architecture.
- I just needed to know, Have you ever heard of something called Feature literistics? - Feature literistics? Sounds like a literary enterprise Named by someone who can't read.
- Was dipalma involved with anything with that name-- A publishing house, a magazine, Anything with a bank account? - I gotta tell you, I think you're on wrong trail here.
Dennis was never hard up for money.
He has a nice apartment, a nice car, Takes nice vacations.
- Vacations where? Cayman islands.
- An offshore bank account.
- Opened one month ago in the name Of feature literistics, A corporation registered to a bahamas post office box.
- Mr.
Dipalma went to a lot of trouble To create an untraceable account to deposit a check That he was never gonna cash.
- Yeah, he was definitely more interested In the $3 million than the pulitzer prize.
But there's more.
He opened the account in person During a three-day stay at a beach resort With megan kerik.
- Little more pubic hair transferring going on? - Apparently.
Either they were doing the blackmail together And had a falling out-- - Or she really was working on an article He found out about it, Decided to go the blackmail route instead.
She didn't want to go along, and he kills her.
- Or his accomplice did.
- What accomplice? - The weekend they were in the caribbean, It's the same weekend sara bradley's apartment Was broken into, and her hard drive With the compromising photos Showed up in dipalma's apartment.
The police assumed that he had stolen it.
- Well, we all did.
- My accomplice to what? I didn't do anything.
- Mr.
Dipalma, You may have an opportunity here.
- I don't know what they're talking about.
- So let him explain.
- As you know, We're taking this blackmail charge very seriously.
But murder is always a higher priority.
- Murder again? You know and I know you don't have A shred of evidence against mr.
Dipalma.
- If another person was involved, And mr.
Dipalma can help us find that person, Then there's always the possibility Of a plea negotiation.
- Sara bradley's computer hard drive Was found in your apartment after it was stolen from hers.
How did it come into your possession? - That was research for my expose.
I got it myself.
- You're confessing to burglary? - He's not confessing to anything.
- Well, he's covering for somebody.
Why? - Well, I guess we don't have anything else to say.
Except - I've been reviewing the briefs in this matter With interest.
But I see no basis for the defense To get ms.
Carville's tax records.
And the request to see The notes of her marriage counseling sessions Is out of bounds for about five different reasons.
- The, uh, personnel files of ms.
Carville's employees Are likewise privileged and confidential.
- They're also relevant and material on their face.
This case is all about ms.
Carville's Relationships with her employees.
- Actually, it's about your client's attempt To commit blackmail.
If you lost your copy of the indictment, You can take a look at mine.
- The material mr.
Dipalma compiled Came largely from a woman named megan kerik.
- Whom we suspect mr.
Dipalma of murdering.
- I didn't see any mention of that In the indictment either.
Ms.
Kerik had conducted research Amongst ms.
Carville's former employees, Several of whom are not named.
We need to find these women to ask them What ms.
Kerik told them about her project.
- These women do not want to be dragged Into the limelight.
- If they can shed exculpatory light On ms.
Kerik and mr.
Dipalma's intentions, That's not their choice.
My client has a right to compel their testimony.
- That's the one point of your argument I'll grant, mr.
Baron.
But you need to draft your subpoena more narrowly To include the files only of those women Who might have been candidates for ms.
Kerik's research.
- Very good, your honor, thank you.
- Former lovers on parade.
I wonder how vanessa carville's gonna feel about that.
- I'll go talk to her.
[knocking on door.]
- How did it go? - See for yourself.
- Well, I don't know about the rest of you, But I've been having a pretty lousy week.
Yeah, thank you.
[clears throat.]
As I mentioned before, I've done some pretty kinky things in my life.
I mean, was anybody really surprised? [chuckles.]
But now, owing to the wondrous nature Of our legal system, The man accused of blackmailing me About those things has been granted the right To drag a whole lot of wonderful people Who've worked for me through the mud.
[audience jeering.]
yeah, I know.
- She's good.
- I know.
It's true.
And on some level, that's fair, I guess, ButI think it stinks.
And as much as I would like to see justice done, I wouldn't be able to live with myself If I thought so many good people, So many good friends-- many of whom I've already hurt-- Would have their reputations and lives messed up.
SoI feel I have no choice.
I am going to abandon my complaint against this man, Even if it means a blackmailer goes free.
- Not to mention a murderer.
- Right.
- The defense motion to dismiss is premature.
Our evidence hasn't disappeared.
- Your complaining witness has, mr.
Cutter.
I do read the papers.
- The trial hasn't even begun.
It's a little early to say that she's not gonna show up.
- She just told 10 million people she wouldn't.
- Yes.
And that made good television, didn't it? We are continuing communication With the victim of this crime-- - And good luck to you.
I won't dismiss for now, But I'm releasing mr.
Dipalma on his own recognizance.
There doesn't seem to be much point to keep him in jail Waiting for a trial that may never happen.
[bangs gavel.]
- Well, that's great.
Now he and his accomplice can go out for a beer And have a big laugh about this whole thing.
- You know what? That might not be a bad idea.
[knocking on door.]
- Have you seen what's on the internet? It says here dennis dipalma Just got half a million dollars To write a book about vanessa carville.
- Well, his lawyer Always said it was a journalistic project.
He's only $2.
5 million short.
- So far.
There's still paperback, first serial, movie rights.
This could be as profitable as what he tried with carville.
- Publishing that material is perfectly legal, While threatening to publish it is a felony.
That doesn't seem to make sense, Yet somehow it does.
- Because it's coercion.
- Glad to know we prosecute it for a reason.
[telephone rings.]
- Yeah.
- Feel good to be back? - What do you think? - I hear congratulations are in order.
- Yeah, graduated top of my class at rikers.
- I just read about your book deal.
Surprised you didn't call me to share the good news.
- No one's called me.
It's just publishing gossip.
- Half a million dollars.
I want 250.
- There's no money.
It's just a rumor.
- Really? Are you hiding it in the caymans Like you were gonna hide the money from carville? - There's nothing to hide.
I'm telling you, I swear.
- Are you sure that's the way you want to be? - It worked.
The phony book deal story.
- I thought it might give dipalma and his friend Something to talk about.
Do the police know who the caller is? - Yeah, derek fanning.
Works on the website.
I met him.
He told me he was thinking about going to architecture school.
- Guess he's raising tuition money.
- Yeah, well, there were two calls Made after this one.
Fanning kept asking for money, Dipalma kept saying there wasn't any, Fanning kept calling him a liar.
[cell phone rings.]
Hello? We'll be right over.
Thanks.
It was lieutenant van buren.
The police just found megan kerik's missing laptop.
- It was dropped off in the lobby of megan's building With a note saying that it had been found abandoned In a coffee shop.
Megan's address was on a sticker on the bottom.
- Well, that was very nice of some good samaritan.
- Oh, you have no idea.
Wait until you see the video we found on it.
Play it.
[whimpering and struggling.]
- A video of dipalma murdering megan kerik? - Or having rough sex.
She didn't die.
Not on camera.
[coughing and choking.]
- Is there a date on that? - The day of the murder.
But it's not hard to fudge the time stamp If you know what you're doing.
- This good samaritan, Do we know who it was? - The note was unsigned, and no prints.
- If we arrest dipalma for murder based on this, There's a provenance issue.
- Well, that's the least of it.
You see his right hand? That ring would leave marks.
The m.
E.
Didn't find Any matching marks on the victim's neck.
- Well, she was still alive.
He took the ring off before he killed her.
- If he's the one who did.
- There's a reflection in the alarm clock.
[coughing and choking.]
- Someone else was in the room.
- Okay, so on its face, this is evidence That dipalma is a murderer, But it miraculously shows up right after Dipalma's accomplice demands $250,000 And dipalma tells him he can't pay.
- The blackmailer was being blackmailed.
[coughing and choking.]
- So what's new? It's no secret my client was dating her.
- Dating? That's what you call it? - If you thought that made my client a murderer, Then he'd already be under arrest.
- Well, we haven't given up the thought.
I hope you brought your toothbrush.
- Something's wrong with this video, And you know it, or we wouldn't be here.
- Well, we'd like to hear what Mr.
Dipalma has to say about it, About everything, Or this becomes people's exhibit number one At his murder trial, and we can discuss What's wrong or right about it there.
- He made me do it.
- Who made you do what? - Derek fanning.
He showed up while I was with megan.
With a gun.
- Where was he standing? - On the side of the bed.
- You knew someone was there.
You knew this video was fishy.
- What exactly did mr.
Fanning make you do? - [chuckles.]
Pretend to strangle megan.
He--he said he would shoot me.
He was crazy.
- Why would he do that? - [sighs.]
When megan came to me about vanessa carville, I thought it was a great story.
I asked derek to help with the research.
- And he broke into sara bradley's apartment When she wouldn't cooperate.
- He said we shouldn't publish the story, That we could make a lot of money.
And I went along.
I dropped the stuff at carville's door.
That night, megan figured out what we were doing.
She said she'd call carville.
She said she'd call the police, so Derek made me do that.
When I left, megan was alive.
Derek called me later And said that he'd "taken care" of her And that it was safe To go through with the blackmail now.
I--I freaked.
I didn't call carville like I was supposed to.
Derek said that if I didn't get back into it, He would send that video to the police.
So I did what he said.
- I think that's the craziest story I've ever heard.
- So it's gotta be true, right? - Case 35924, people v.
Derek fanning, Murder in the second degree.
- How do you plead? - Not guilty.
- This is related to that blackmail case, ms.
Rubirosa? - Yes, the defendant's accused of murdering The source of the blackmail information When she threatened to call the police.
- The people's main witness Is the former blackmail defendant.
He's hardly credible.
- We believe he is.
He was as shocked as anyone By the brutal and cold-blooded nature of this murder.
- His credibility's an issue for a jury, Not a hearing on bail, Which I'll set at $3 million.
Why break precedent? [bangs gavel.]
- Our analysis of that video will lend us some support.
- We also found derek fanning's gun and fingerprints On sara bradley's hard drive and in megan's apartment.
- But the jury's still gonna be skeptical about you.
We'll have to work to convince them To trust your testimony.
- Or we could save you the effort.
Mr.
Dipalma's decided not to appear.
- Excuse me? - He's decided it's not in his best interest To testify.
- Well, we can still prosecute him For the murder instead.
- I think that ship has sailed.
Ms.
Rubirosa already told a judge That mr.
Fanning is the killer.
It would be pretty easy to raise reasonable doubt If you try mr.
Dipalma.
- So what is it, huh? You afraid that fanning'll be acquitted and come after you? Is he holding something else over your head? - I just don't think that publicly swearing I was involved in blackmail and murder Is the best possible career move.
Plus, I could get sued.
The feds could come after me.
I don't see any upside.
- We can give you immunity and then subpoena you.
If you choose not to testify, We can charge you with contempt.
- Contempt I can handle.
- Well, don't worry.
You already have ours.
- So blackmail and a brutal murder, And everybody walks.
Maybe we should go into another line of work, Dry cleaning.
- Or we could charge them together for both crimes.
- And they'll both stay silent and you'll be pushing Two rocks up two hills.
What about your blackmail victim? She's still on the sidelines? - Resolutely.
There's something in those personnel files She doesn't want the world or her husband to see.
This blackmail thing, it really works.
- Maybe we should try it.
- Jack, I'm sorry it had to be this way.
I know you went the extra mile on my behalf.
I just couldn't let it go to trial.
- I know, vanessa.
That's what I wanted to talk to you about.
- Well, this is a surprise.
What is this, some kind of shock therapy To make me change my mind? - We'd like you to remember how you felt When you got that package, when you saw him In the park demanding $3 million.
- What are we doing here, playing a memory game? - I remember.
It was awful.
But I can't let innocent friends get hurt By him and him in some public spectacle.
- I understand, vanessa, so I'm sorry.
- About what? - We're charging you with criminal sale Of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.
It's a class "d" felony.
- What? - From megan kerik's diary.
"I was nervous at first, "but we split one of her vicodins And a bottle of wine and thenBliss.
" - Half a vicodin.
I gave it to her.
I didn't sell it.
- Doesn't matter.
Legally, to sell means to sell, exchange, or to give.
The law still applies and so does the penalty.
- You can't possibly be serious.
- I'm sure the charge won't do you much good In a divorce Or a fight over child custody.
- You sons of bitches.
You're no better than he is.
- So You'll testify? - Sure.
I can't wait.
- Wait a minute.
Can she still do that? - Yes, the case hasn't been dismissed, But I don't think she ever will.
That's not the plan, is it? - Well, now that we have Ms.
Carville's cooperation, Mr.
Dipalma is looking at Ten years in prison for blackmail.
- But if he changes his mind About testifying against mr.
Fanning, You might let that slide.
- Oh, we could probably work something out.
He nails fanning for the murder, Then takes a plea, does two years.
- You screwed with me to screw with him.
- Bank shot.
- You're still a son of a bitch.
- We have a deal? - Deal.
- A blackmail daisy chain.
They definitely didn't teach that in law school.
- Turnabout.
It was only fair.
- So that's the new game plan.
We do what they do.
Next time we try a murderer, we'll kill somebody.
- I don't know.
We'll have to ask the boss.